


Decode

by MelindaCoulson4



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-09 02:32:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14707436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelindaCoulson4/pseuds/MelindaCoulson4
Summary: Phil Coulson + 2 times parasailing has come up in his life, both equally unexpected (+ philinda)





	Decode

**Author's Note:**

> Philinda and Tahiti...I can't even believe they actually did that

Every time he thinks he knows all there is to learn about Melinda May she seems to surprise him. And this time it's no different.

As they stand on uneven ground, white hot sand beneath their shoes he can't help but feel like they're minutes away from completely obliterating every boundary that's left between them.

Even now as her palm presses against him, steadily gripping his bicep, the skin underneath his shirt seems to burn. In fact, his entire body buzzes in anticipation as his mind wanders towards images of a bare Melinda standing before him. Then of her touching him and him doing things with her he's only ever dreamt of ever getting the chance to do.

It's her fault, she's gotten him all riled up at her suggestion of parasailing. There's no denying what she really meant by it. They were both there. They both read the words on that cell phone screen four years ago.

_**The Bus, 4 years ago** _

His brows furrow as he reads the words on the page in his hand for the third time in a row.

Got them? (sent 2:03pm)  
Ya (received 2:10pm)  
How much? (sent 2:11pm)  
$20 per (received 2:12pm)  
Meet 2:30 @ B's (sent 2:16pm)  
Then it's parasailing all day baby (sent 2:17pm)  
(; (received 2:18pm)

  
No matter how many times his eyes run over the words he still cannot understand what the conversation was about.

The situation is dire. An inhuman's life is hanging in the balance with every second that ticked by. They need to solve this case. Unfortunately for them, their star witness is an 19 year old smart ass who still lives in his parents' basement.

The guy's name is Darren and uncooperative doesn't even begin to describe his personality. His mother is an attorney and she is on her way here, so they are about to reach a dead end in a matter of minutes.

The printed out conversation that they are trying to decode was between Darren and his girlfriend. It's the only evidence they could find that could be used against him other than the fact that Darren was at the scene of the crime.

Phil read the conversation again and still it left him with more questions than answers. What 'them' were they discussing? Who is 'B'? And why were they talking about parasailing?

Melinda stands by his side, eyes trained on the paper too.

"Am I just really out of touch or do you not know what what the hell parasailing is supposed to mean either? I feel like I'm reading hieroglyphics."

She meets his gaze, slightly frowning but saying nothing. It's all silent communication. If she knew then she'd say something. But since she doesn't she chooses to stay quiet.

His attention shifts to Skye huddled in the corner of the room with her eyes carefully trained on her own copy of the page.

"Skye?" He asks. Out of everyone she would know. She's the closest in age to Darren.

Without a word she walks over to he and Melinda. She pulls her cell phone from her back pocket, quickly types something, and places it on the table next to them. The screen stays brightly lit, but she makes no move to pick it back up.

"It's-I.......just. I'm just going to leave this here and I'll be back for it in like an hour....maybe 4 months...possibly a year," she mumbles, purposefully not meeting his eyes as she quickly exits the room.

"What's her problem?" He points a thumb in Skye's direction.

Still he gets no answer only an unreadable expression- as always with Melinda these days. Sometimes she'd give him micro-expressions, miniscule hints as to what was going on in her head. It was nothing compared to how open she used to be, but that was before Bahrain and he could never blame her for that.

Her eyes suddenly widen as she stares at Skye's phone in her hand.

She passes it to him. Their fingers brush together, making his stomach flutter. He's a little embarrassed by that. He can't help but feel like a middle schooler with a crush that doesn't even know he exists. Melinda is out of his league. Realistically he knows she'd never settle for someone like him, but he certainly can't order his body to stop reacting to her no matter how much he wishes he could. It's uncontrollable and had been ever since they'd met.

_Focus on the mission, Phil._

He reads the opened webpage on the screen:

_URBANDICTIONARYCOM_

_Top definition_

_Parasailing:_   
_Having wild sex, plowing a man or woman_

"Oh." His eyebrows shoot towards his hairline. "It's....creative I guess." Urban dictionary, he'd have to bookmark that.

Before he can even blink Melinda is halfway through the interrogation room, clutching their copy of the text message conversation. The door slams shut.

A bang reverberates through the closed door a mere second later.

 _Oh, no_.

He rushes to the group of monitors that Skye set up in the room next to interrogation.

There's a clear profile view of Melinda and Darren on the top right screen. She has her hands splayed out on the metal table with the paper between them. Darren slouches on the chair in front of her.

"Those are personal!" Darren yells.

"And this is an investigation. Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?"

"I know my rights, bitch," he snarls.

Phil's nostrils flare in response to the pure disrespect directed towards Melinda. She doesn't deserve that.

"Tell us what you've been up to or I'm going to show these texts to your mother," she says.

Darren sits forward, arms crossing over his chest. "I don't care," he says, volume much quieter this time.

She's found his weakness.

"Fine." Melinda turns towards the door, then pauses, keeping her back towards Darren. "Oh and just to let you know....not only am I going to show her this. I'm also going to explain to her what parasailing means."

"Like you know."

"I know what it means and soon she will too. I wonder what she'll think of her perfect son talking like that to a classmate."

Darren's jaw drops, clearly concerned by Melinda's threats now. "She'll kill me!"

Melinda grabs onto the door handle and shrugs her shoulders. "Less of a headache for my team."

"No please! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

After fifteen minutes, Melinda has all of the information they need.

By the time Darren finishes speaking, he's covered in sweat and has his hands running through his hair worriedly.

Melinda opens the door to leave. "Also just a little hint. If you're too embarrassed to use the word sex then you really shouldn't be having it."

Phil smirks. That's how he knows he didn't make a mistake by asking her to join the team. She's skilled and gets results. He knew the agent inside of her was still there. He just had to slowly let it come out of her.

He meets her outside of interrogation.

"That was effective," he compliments.

He thinks that he catches a ghost of a smile developing on her face, but she turns her head before he can be sure.

They find the inhuman three hours later. It's takes until the next morning for Skye to even stand in the same room as him.

_**Tahiti, now** _

If he knew then that she would be suggesting parasailing for them in their not so distant future his head would've exploded.

He knows it would've because his heart feels like it's doing that very thing right now. If he's not careful he'll go into cardiac arrest before they even set foot in the bedroom.

 _Breathe, Phil_.

But he can't seem to settle his rapidly beating heart when she stands next to him so calm and collected, blissfully staring out at the clear ocean, a neutral expression on her face.

If only she didn't have the sunglasses on he'd be able to read her thoughts.

 _Deep breath, relax_.

"Melinda," he says, calling for her attention. He doesn't have the nerve to say these words twice, so he wants her to hear him the first time.

"Hmm?" She murmurs, as her thumb begins rubbing back and forth against his bicep again.

_Take the leap, Phil. Be bold. Shock her just as she's done to you._

"I need you," he tells her.

Her thumb stops moving as her grip on him loosens, almost moving away completely.

He can see her head turn towards him, her mouth opens to respond, but before she can, he interrupts her.

It has to come out before he loses the nerve.

"I can't wait anymore. I want you now," he blurts out, clarifying his previous statement. The tense muscles in his shoulder blades deflate a bit as he let's go of the burden of keeping this from her. He can't help it. After living through so many years of build up and secrets between them it's been a difficult habit to break.

"How do you want me?" She asks, ducking her head a bit.

Honestly, her words go straight to his groin. If she doesn't mean what he thinks she means this is going to turn into a very uncomfortable situation.

"In every way. But not here. I've heard sex is terrible on the beach. Inside, on a proper bed. We've at least earned that." The fingers on his right hand flex outwards as he speaks. It's one of his anxious ticks.

A pause that feels like eternity fills the air.

"Then let's go," she tells him simply as her lips curl up into a smirk.

Her eyebrows raise above the sunglasses lenses as she waits for him to act on her words.

He grabs her right hand tightly and starts moving them towards their hut.

He's never moved so fast in his life.

//end//

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feedback welcome :)


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